Sunday, February 14, 2016

With All My Love

Dear Elder Schenewark,

Happy Valentine's Day!It's the day of, the week of, the month of LOVE! Love is truly in the air over here. Just think: Next year you're still single but not able to mingle! We've decided on a new tradition for Valentine's Day: crepes. Crepes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We began this year with crepes for lunch, but perhaps we'll have them all day next year.

If you were visiting your grandparents this week, you'd be enjoying their arctic freeze. Today it was a balmy -11 degrees. I think your poor system would be in shock if you were somehow able to transport yourself there for a visit.

In the news this week? The federal government plans to spend $80 million assessing whether its hottest nuclear waste can be stored in 3-mile-deep holes. The Department of Energy wants to conduct its work just south of the Canadian border on 20 acres near Rugby, North Dakota — in part because it's in a rural area not prone to earthquakes — but is prepared to look at sites in West Texas and New Mexico.

Did you see any soldiers? On Saturday, 220,000 soldiers across Brazil went door to door to raise awareness about the Zika virus, and promote mosquito control efforts that could slow the spread of the disease.

The Supreme Court Justice Scalia passed away, supposedly of a heart attack. Dad's very upset, as he was the conservative balance on that court.

And probably my favorite story: (CNN) Police in California are asking for the public's help after two people walking on the Golden Gate Bridge were hit with blow darts. The darts are being tested to ensure they were not coated in chemicals. They were about 5 inches long, the CHP said, with one end sharpened to a point. It wasn't immediately clear what they were fired from.

The eye center said that you need to mail your glasses back home. They've already ordered the new lens. Your contact lens prescription expired, and they're checking with the doctor to see if he'd be agreeable to letting us order contact lens for you any way.

Your box arrived! All the way from Tempe, AZ via slow boat. Or something slow. Did we need to open it, or just put it in storage?

Your letter you wrote in November, mailed in January, came as well. It was a delight to read, thank you!

I hope you got all your emails regarding your mouth. We truly believe it's mango mouth. I had it in Ohio, from eating mango off a mango, and it's awful. And we're both allergic to poison ivy, a key indicator you're predisposed to mango mouth. Let us know!

Your father was called, sustained, and set apart as Bishop today, in your home Granbury ward. The stake president had the former Bishop and his wife speak, then myself and your father, before he concluded the meeting. Your father spoke of joining the church, his love of the doctrine without questioning what he was being taught, because he knew of the truthfulness of the Gospel. He shared with the ward our first Valentine's Day together, the fact that he had wrapped up a large refrigerator box for me, with jelly beans inside, making jelly beans an annual Valentine's Day tradition, until ten years later I told him I really didn't care for them. Funny! But we have kept up his tradition by giving the jelly beans to you and your brothers!

He was given a beautiful blessing by the stake president. I especially loved when he was counseled to pay special heed to the women of the ward, and the contribution they could make if he was willing. He has a baptism this week, and a wedding next week. He came home late from church, as he spent some time with his new counselors. He will be retaining me as his Relief Society President for a bit. Even tonight we were able to counsel together regarding the missionaries visiting about the ward mission plan, a high councilman calling about his speaking assignment next week and suggestions for speakers to join him, callings for two newly baptized men, and nominating a scoutmaster for the district's scoutmaster of the year award, and who to delegate that to. It was fun! And so easy!

I was reading last night and found this quote by Elder Cook from last April, "Our ability to stand firm and true and follow the Savior despite the vicissitudes of life is greatly strengthened by righteous families and Christ-centered unity in our wards and branches." Your father is responsible for our righteous family. He's a good man. He's full of integrity, and has vision like no one else I know. I told him and everyone else from the pulpit today that I received an impression when the call was extended to him to serve, that Heavenly Father wanted your father to know how much He loved him. Valentine's Day was made extra special this year. The call was extended on Uncle Rich's birthday, and sustained on the day of love.

Where #SuperHeroes Are Found

Where the Boys Go to Play!

BOY Translation

Successful Children

What Mom Believes

"We are created as much from the dust of eternity as we are from the dust of the earth. Every one of us has potential we can scarcely imagine." Joseph B. Wirthlin

“We write to taste life twice once in the moment and retrospect.” Anias Nin

Here is my secret. It is very simple: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery

When we are filled with Love, we can make a profound difference. It's what we came to do. Ardeth G. Kapp

Men are what their mothers made them. - Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1860

In the end, the number of prayers we say may contribute to our happiness, but the number of prayers we answer may be of even greater importance. Let us open our eyes and see the heavy hearts, notice the loneliness and despair; let us feel the silent prayers of others around us, and let us be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to answer those prayers. Dieter F. Utchdorf

I want to be the kind of Mom that would remember to get the broken Wheezy off of the shelf, fix his squeaker, and put him back in the toy box, having hope that my boys will still want to play.

Boy Scouts

11 out of 12 original astronaut corps (89%) who have walked on the moon have been an Eagle Scout